Product Description

From Publishers Weekly

This surprisingly toothless final volume of the Dragon Star fantasy trilogy (after The Dragon Token ) reads more like a melodramatic Russian play than like an epic adventure tale. Pol, sorcerer and High Prince of the Desert, must come to terms with his fanatical cousin Andry, High Lord of Goddess Keep, so the two can pool their magic and influence to defeat a barbarian horde that threatens their people. While Pol and Andry strike an uneasy truce in Pol's castle, surrounded by the intrigues and agonizing of their friends and relations, far away the High Warlord of the barbarians holds Pol's wife and child hostage. The major characters languish passively in their lush surroundings while the reader learns of desperate battles for survival through occasional off-stage reports, a device that makes the entire conflict seem unreal. Rawn writes fluidly and creates reasonably complete characters, but there's not enough action to justify the book's excessive length. The tragic climax, when it comes at last, is lost amid the general angst suffered continuously by all. Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

With his wife and daughter held captive by the invading army of Vellant'im, High Prince Pol is forced to put aside his old antipathies and accept the help of his cousin Andry, the Lord of Goddess Keep. This conclusion to the second trilogy set in Rawn's world of Sunrunner magic continues the skillful plotting and complex relationships outlined in previous novels. Epic in scope, with a large cast of vivid characters, this belongs in most fantasy collections.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Most helpful customer reviews

I polished off this series of six books a few years back, but I'd still like to make two points. One is that the "magic" in this book (what fantasy series doesn't have it?) is certainly different. Top marks to Rawn for a creative form of sunlight "vision", where characters (those with the talent) can connect themselves with sunlight and travel it's paths to see other places in the world. The story, well, it entertained, but some of the characters seemed a little heavy-handed at times in their righteousness. Also, the bad guys in the final three novels (you know, the infamous, barbaric, evil, ignorant, filthy bad guys) were a little to "hatable" for me. I like to LIKE the shady characters in fantasy novels, at least just a little. Overall, a good conclusion to an enjoyable series if you have nothing to do on the bus or the subway.

When I first read the two book series by Melanie Rawn, the Dragon prince and Dragon Token series, about three years ago, I imeadiatly rushed to write a review inorder in order to prehapes in courage others to read this book. And as I mature in age I find myself looking back on what I wrote, and I couldn't have been more right. Although overly excited as i wrote the review, I know that it convayed my true feeling. This book is still one of the best book series in the fantasy genre. Its intrepid plot and twists will leave you yerning for more. Not only will you see an examle of great Character development, Plot construction and Realism in a created world, but you will see the essence of true living people with in the characters. And in life you will seek out the Sioned's and Rohan's and Pol's in life, but you may begin to see yourself as them and grow with them as the book progresses. Feel anger when they feel anger, feel sarrow when they feel sarrow, feel joy as they feel joy, and most of all see the colors as they sunnrun. The syntilating book embodies tradition, politics, arts, magic, romance, action, and desire in blatent aspects as well as symbolism.If there is one book series I would recomend you read in your life time this is it. It will change your perspective of life. but to the week of heart and mind beware, fore this book will capture you up and stimulate your mind and emotions to an extent that is undiscribable, to not understand it is a punishment alone to the week of mind and to the week of heart the books will take control of your feelings, so as I leave this I say read ondo not leave the books at deaths or destruction because there is always a silver lining to every dark cloud. And once and again in Eternaty AZHREI FOREVER

The 3 books each in the Dragon Prince and Dragon Star series are some of the best written, most vididly imagined and deeply reflective of human nature that I have ever encountered by fiction authors. Melanie Rawn is a master at interweaving stories, personalities and elicting emotional responses from the reader. The saga begins with Rohan and Sioned, his Sunrunner Princess, as they face overcoming an evil High Prince Roelstra and his nest of scheming daughters plotting to capture the world with the aid of an enemy, the Merida, a group of assassins with the prize of the desert promised them for their help. They are assisted by various corrupt petty princes whose goals are increasing their wealth and holdings. Rohan, the brilliant intellectual prince of the desert is hereditary protector of the dragons who live there and return their love and interest. Rohan is beneficiary to the secret, unlimited wealth of dragon gold which is unknown to, but coveted by, the other petty princes. Rohan succeeds in overcoming Roelstra's evil rule, establishes fair trade and writes the law codes for the land when he becomes High Prince, and peace ensues for years. Throughout the stories the author uses delicious humor and repartee between principles in a most engaging way. The Dragon Star series continues the saga with Rohan and Sioned now in the background and the focus is upon their son Pol's ascendancy toward his eventual position as High Prince. Pol faces many inner conflicts as he struggles to become a prince like his father, and a husband to a fragile, helpless, cowardly and weak wife. He has married Meiglan, instead of Sionell, his soulmate and childhood friend whom he later realizes was the woman best suited to him.Read more ›

The first three Dragon Prince books were good (I won't say great), so I expected at least an enjoyable read out of the last three. What I got instead was an extremely drawn-out story about a pointless war with a cause that's never explained, insanely long dragging passages of dialogue that have nothing to do with anything, a soap-opera of a plot among the main characters, and the most unrealistic portrayals of men and women I've ever read in ANY series. (And that's including Robert Jordan.) There are dozens if not hundreds of characters that no one, apparently not even the author, can keep straight. Even Melanie R must have gotten sick of them by the end, judging from the enormous number that are killed off. Although by this point, I doubt anyone cares. The whole 'system' of magic was new and original, which is one of the main things I enjoyed. If there had been some real tension, and characters that seemed like more than cardboard cutouts, it could have been an excellent series.I just found myself wishing that the author would learn how men and women actually relate to each other.